Call for urgent clean up of Waterford beach left in an appalling condition
Dumping at Woodstown beach. Pictures from Cllr Declan Barry
Councillor Declan Barry has called for urgent attention to be given to Woodstown beach.
Cllr Barry told the Waterford News and Star that he visited the beach this week, having been alerted by residents that the beach was in a poor state.
“It's a lovely sandy beach, and now you wouldn’t bring a visitor or a family member or anyone there. It’s not fit for purpose and some attention needs to be given to this really urgently,” said Cllr Barry.
Cllr Barry said he visited the beach on Monday morning around 10am.
There was a large amount of household rubbish as well as other items left around bins on the beach.
There were also the remains of bonfires on the beach.
The public toilets, which the council had closed, were broken into.
The toilets had been closed and bolted last Thursday because they were in poor condition and being abused.
But when Cllr Barry arrived, the locks were gone.
“The condition of them was just horrendous, is all I can describe,” said Cllr Barry.
Cllr Barry said he is most concerned about a strange, strong-smelling algae that has appeared on the beach and what might be a stream of discharge.
“The most disturbing thing is this almost green algae that is lying on the beach, and it is rotting and giving off a very bad odour, and I am after contacting the EPA asking them to come down.
"The council told me they think it's fit for purpose and the water is tested every two weeks.
“I know Woodstown like the back of my hand. I was born and bred out there for 60 years and I have never seen the condition of this before,” said Cllr Barry.
He suggested that it could be caused by Oyster beds or agricultural discharge from a field.
“I think it must be a byproduct of that, and I am asking the question, is it harmful? Is it harmful to the environment? Is it harmful to the people that are using the beach?," said Cllr Barry.
Waterford City and County Council told the Waterford News and Star that they inspected the beach on Thursday, July 24.
There, they found evidence of litter close to the Brink Banks, and a crew has been sent to clean it up.
As to the algae, the council say it is normal and does not pose a risk to the public.
A spokesperson for the council said: "The high temperatures (air and water) have resulted in green algae growing on the mudflats and in the shallows of the nutrient-rich water at a higher rate than usual. "Algae are natural inhabitants of coastal areas and shorelines.
"When conditions are suitable for growth, i.e. shallow, warm, slow-moving or still water, algal blooms usually occur; however, they tend to dissipate naturally.
"As the seaweed does not pose a health risk to the public, a recommendation was made not to disturb the crust that has formed on the seaweed, and high tide will carry it naturally back to sea."
